Teaching

Introduction to Sociolinguistics (University of Oslo)

Introduction to Linguistics II: Multilingual Speakers (University of Groningen)

This course aims to introduce students to sociolinguistics. The course (i) explores how language and society are interrelated, (ii) provides students with an understanding of why we speak differently in different social contexts, and (iii) identifies the social functions of languages and the ways they are used to convey social meaning. The course will cover such factors as language policies at a national level, and gender, age and class at both an individual and community level, shedding light on how they affect language use in different communities, and what the outcomes and consequences are for the people and societies.

Language Planning and Policy (Nanyang Technological University,; University of Oslo; University of Groningen)

This course aims to first introduce key concepts in the field of language planning and policy, with an emphasis on how language planning and policy decisions shape and are shaped by international, national, and local level sociolinguistic factors. Second, the course will develop an in-depth understanding of the complexity of language policies around the world and present case studies of the language planning and policy issues in various domains and institutions, e.g. constitutional laws, and public and private spheres, in a range of countries. The course will also cover various frameworks and theories that have been developed to understand why certain language policies are formulated in a particular context, how they are implemented, and what their consequences and outcomes are for individuals and societies.

Language Maintenance and Shift (Nanyang Technological University, 2018)

This course is an introduction to the study of language shift [LS] and maintenance [LM] as a societal phenomenon. The course covers the main foci in the study of LM and LS: (a) identifying and understanding the factors and forces that lead individuals, groups and communities to 'maintain' or 'abandon' their language(s) in bi- or multilingual situations, (b) modes of examining LM and LS in a variety of contexts, and (c) documenting and discussing family, community and institutional efforts to maintain a 'minority' or 'threatened' language. The course will also cover various frameworks and theories that have been developed to understand why some groups or communities are keen and/or successful in maintaining their language(s) and why others do not display such interest or fail in their efforts. We will draw upon many different studies to illustrate these phenomena as well as the efforts and challenges in maintaining a minority or threatened language. Topics covered include: approaches to the study of language in its social context; linguistic diversity and societal multilingualism; language planning and policy (with special focus on Singapore); the role of language in social stereotypes and identity; social norms and language choice; speech communities and social networks; the effect of social factors on language variation; and the linguistic consequences of language contact, with particular emphasis on contact languages (pidgins and creoles) and codeswitching.